Spring-roller



NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I J. CHRISTOPHER LAKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-ROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,232, dated January 4, 1881.

Application filed May 14, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J. CHRISTOPHER LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Curtain-Fixtures, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention partly in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 1 1, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the roller released from the brackets. Fig. 4 is a like view of the same in the brackets. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of bracket and of the roller fixed in position therein, and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective. Fig. 7 is an end view of roller A with part I removed.

My in vention'has for its object to produce a spring curtain or shade roller provided with suitable devices for securing friction to assist the spring in sustaining the curtain or shade, such friction being relieved when the spring is winding up said curtain or shade.

My invention has for its further object to provide means for locking the spring when the roller is removed from its brackets, and to prevent the roller from jumping from the bracket when the spring becomes locked with the roller in the brackets. V

My improvements consist in the peculiar construction and combination of parts hereinin'after fully specified, having reference principally to the following points:

First, to constructing the spindle so as to be capable of lateral movement in the roller. When said spindle is eccentric in position the roller will be free to rotate around it, and when said spindle is in the center or axial line of the roller the spring will be locked and the roller prevented from rotating.

Second, to constructing the bracket which receives the butt-end of the roller with acamshaped opening of such a character that when the shade is at rest a considerable portion of the surface of said roller, or of a cap or journal thereon, will be in contact with said bracket, producing traction or friction, and when the shade is ascending the roller, or its cap or journal, will be in contact with said opening at only one point or on a small portion of its sur- (No model.)

face, thus relieving or reducing frictionbetween the roller and bracket.

Third, to constructing the spindle-bracket with a shoulder on the outer wall of the spindle notch or bearing, which laps over a rib on E represents the spring, titted in the usual manner in the roller, and f a collar on the spindle F, resting in an enlarged recess, G. in the end of the roller. Said collar is of the cam shape shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and is of smaller diameter than said recess Gr, SO that when its upper side, 1, is in contact with the wood of the roller the spindle F will be eccentric to or out of the longitudinal axial line of the latter.

H is a spur or stud on the spindle F or its collar f, and I is an annular flange for the recess Gr, consisting, by preference, of a rabbeted disk fitted in the end of said recess and held in position by the roller-cap K. Said flange has a central opening through which the spindle passes, and is notched to form ratchet-teeth t' i. The stud H is of such length and character that when the roller is in its brackets and borne down by the weight of the shade, so that the spindle is eccentricthereto and the wood of the roller in contact with the upper side, f, of the collar f, the end of said stud will be clear of the points of the teeth t i but when said roller is removed from its brackets, permitting the spindle to assume a true axial position, (which will be induced by the lifting of the roller,) the stud will be in range of the teeth M, and will engage with one of them, thereby locking the spring, as shown in Fig. 3. The spindle end is formed with a lateral rib, f and its bracket with a corresponding shoulder, c, on the outer wall of the spindle notch or bearing, which caps or covers said rib and prevents the roller from jumping from its brackets when the spring becomes locked (by accident orotherwise) with the roller in said brackets. When such locking takes place the tendency of the roller is to move outwardly and upwardly. In moving outwardly the rib f gets under the shoulder 0, and the upward movement is thus prevented.

The butt-bracket- D has an opening, D, of the peculiar cam shape shown, to receive the solid end of the roller, or a journal or cap thereon. Said opening has one side, (1,0011- centric with the roller end, or with the journal or cap thereon, and ot' the same radius as said end, cap, or journal, and another side, (1, which is eccentric and of longer radius. When the roller is in a state of rest, and when'the shade is being drawn down, said roller, or its cap or journal, rests against the side (I, obtaining friction from the point (P to (1 and assisting the spring in counterbalancing the shade and its weight L; but when the shade is ascending the roller will rest in the outer part of the opening D, clear of the side d and touching onl v,the point (1*, being thus largely relieved of friction, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

instead of making the side (1 concentric, so as to obtain flush contact of the roller over the entire surface of said side, the latter may be of such form or curvature as to give hearings or furnish contact at two points.

I am aware that there is no novelty in providing a roller-bracket for a spring curtainfixture with a nearly horizontal traversingslot as a bearing for the roller-journal, which will allow the roller a lateral movement.

I am also aware that a bracket has been made with a flange partly concentric with the end of the roller for obtaining friction to assist the spring in counterbalancing the weight of the curtain.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with a spring shaderoller, of a spindle laterally movable therein, substantially as described, whereby when the roller is in its brackets said spindle occupies an eccentric position with respect to it and permits the free rotation of the latter, and when said roller is removed from its brackets said spindle occupies a central position therein and operates to effect the locking of the sprin 2. In combination with the roller A and ratchet or notched flange I, the spindle F, laterally movable in said roller and having stud or spur H, said parts being constructed for operation substantially as described, whereby when said spindle is eccentric to the roller the stud II will clear the ratchet-teeth i, and when said spindle is in the center or axial line of said roller the stud H will be in line of engagement with said ratchet-teeth, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of-roller-spindle F, having lateral rib f with bracket (J, having corresponding grooves 0, with overhanging shoulder 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4-. The bracket 1), having a cam-shaped opening, D, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of May, 1880.

J. CHRISTOPHER LAKE. 

